Fading Gold
by PotterPotterPotter
Summary: April and Harry were friends before going to Hogwarts, but she also became Draco Malfoy's friend. Five years later, being the neutral party is finally causing more trouble than it has before.
1. Chapter 1

-CHAPTER ONE-

_**Trusting a Snake**_

"Don't dare talk to my mother like that!" he yelled at the group standing a few feet away.

The girl next to him quickly grabbed his arm, she was his age. And at this moment they were standing in Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, the boy was getting new dark green dress robes; Madam Malkin was kneeling at his feet, pining up the bottom hem.

"Draco, stop," the girl whispered to him as she pulled on his arm.

The boy, Draco, pulled his hand from her grip, "get your hands off me, April."

"It's all right, Draco," his mother said stepping forward, "the poor boy doesn't know what he is talking about."

"I don't think I want these anymore," Draco pulled the robes over his head, throwing them at Madam Malkin as he walked past her, "see you on the train," he added to the girl, April.

"Let's do our shopping elsewhere," Draco's mother said as she lead Draco toward the door, "now that we know _what_ shops here," she looked at the girl near the door.

Draco followed his mother out of the shop quickly disappearing from view of the window. The three who had just entered the shop turned to look at April.

"What was he talking about before we came in?" the boy in front asked.

"Harry," April looked at him, "he just doesn't understand why he can't do his shopping on his own. That's all. He doesn't like having to be watched by his mother all the time."

Harry gave her a look that told her that he didn't believe her.

"I'm not lying," she told him, "that is all that he was saying. I swear," she looked at the other two standing with him, "Hermione, Ron, how have your summer been?"

"All right," Hermione gave a weak smile.

"Did you get my letter?" Harry asked April realizing he wasn't going to get any other answer from her.

"Sorry I didn't reply," she told him, "I only got it last night."

"I didn't know we were coming till yesterday," Harry told her, "otherwise-"

"I understand."

No one talked while Harry and Ron got their robes fitted. After a while they were glad to be leaving the shop.

"Shall we go to Fred and George's shop?" Ron said pointing down the alley.

She had just stepped into the door and she had already been run into by several kids running to their friends to tell them what they saw. One boy was carrying an armful of stuff that went crashing to the floor when he ran straight into her. There were people everywhere. And although it was very chaotic, it was amazing.

This was Weasley's Wizard Wheezes the shop the Weasley twins had opened. The shop was very bright compared to the rest of Diagon Alley, and not just because the lights were brighter than most of the shops, but because the whole shop was painted in bright yellows, oranges, and reds. It was truly beautiful.

"Get your Fainting Fancies here," she heard from somewhere higher up in the shop, "And just in time for school!"

She walked over to the stairs on her left. She looked up at the levels above. There were so many people crowding every level.

"How has your summer been, April," one of the twins yelled down to her.

"Pretty good, yours?"

"Well," he said waving his hands around his head, "chaotic!"

After a few minutes of looking at the shelves filled from floor to ceiling Harry yelled over the crowd, "Let's go outside, it is so crazy in here."

The four of them make their way out of the crowded shop and onto the much less crowed alleyway. There were only a few people outside, and most were heading into the Weasley shop.

"Hey," Harry pointed toward Knockturn Alley, "looks like Malfoy doesn't want to be followed."

"Harry," April said pulling his hand down, "what are you doing?"

He started to walk down the alley. Ron, Hermione, and April ran to catch up.

"Harry," April said once she was walking next to him, "you shouldn't go following him."

"You could save me the trouble and tell me what he is doing."

"I can't tell you," Harry looked at her; he knew she wouldn't say, but he didn't expect the next answer, "because I don't know."

"Would you have told me?"

"I don't know," she told him, "I can't just go blabbing all of his secrets if he told me. He is my best friend, just like you are."

"Look," Harry said turning to her, "if you know anything and don't tell me, I will find out on my own. If he tells you something, you can save me the trouble of following him."

"I won't tell you what he tells me, just like I won't tell him what you tell me."

"Fine, then I am following him," Harry said, "you can come if you want to."

April watched him take a few steps, Ron and Hermione close behind him. April continued down the alley after them. They followed Draco down the alley that lead to Knockturn Alley, the side street dedicated to the Dark Arts. He disappeared into a shop called Borgin and Burkes.

"Do you know how to fix it?" they could hear Draco's voice say loudly.

"Possibly," said a man, "if I could see it, I would be able to know for sure."

"It stays where it is, Borgin," Draco said quickly, "I just need to know how."

"But without seeing it-"

"Perhaps this will make you more confident about this," Draco paused, but April, Harry, Hermione and Ron couldn't see what was happening in the shop, "A family friend will be stopping by to make sure you are giving the problem your _full_ attention. I'm sure you know Fenrir Greyback?"

"No need to-"

"I will decide," Draco's footsteps could be heard near the door of the shop, "Tell anyone, and there will be vengeance."

Harry, Ron and Hermione quickly ran back to Diagon Alley. Not daring to look over their shoulder. April stayed back walking slowly to Diagon Alley.

"April?"

She turned to see Draco standing outside the shop he just came out of.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I was just wondering where you ran off to."

"I didn't run," he said, "did you follow me?"

"I just don't like when you keep secrets from me."

"Well, I can't be sure you won't go telling Potter what I say."

"Draco," she stepped toward him, "I would never tell him what you tell me. Why don't you trust me? I have known you for seven years, and you still don't trust me! Why do you think I came down here after you?"

He grabbed her upper arm and pulled her farther down the alley. He pushed her back against the wall and stood in front of her.

"You want to know what is going on?" he asked, "the Dark Lord has given me a job to do. I needed to make sure I could fix the object I have to use."

"Are you one of them?"

He slammed his fist against the wall next to her face, making her jump.

"What?" he said looking down at her, "don't you trust me?"

"If I didn't, do you think I would go through the trouble of being your friend," she yelled.

She looked up at him, her eyes dark and questioning. He said nothing.

"Do you think that if I didn't trust you," she said a little quieter, "I would have stayed your friend after all these years? Harry thinks I lie to him about you."

"Do you?"

"When you tell me something," she looked away, "I tell him that I can't say anything. I tell him that I trust you too much to tell him your secrets."

"You trust me that much?" Draco placed his hands against the wall, one on each side of her.

"I do," she looked back at him, "that is why I don't understand why you don't trust me."

He leaned in close to her ear, "I do trust you, April."

He backed away from her, his eyes on her. He took a few steps before looking at her over his shoulder.

"I'll see you on the train," Draco said before quickly disappearing farther down the alley.

She stared down the alley for a long time before finally turning to leave. She was quite used to this part of the alley. She had been here a few times before with Draco and his family.

She was raised away from this world, she did not know about magic or Voldemort or the famous Harry Potter. Of course, she had known Harry for a few years before she knew he was famous.

She had met Harry at the Muggle school they had been attending. She was, like Harry, left out of most activities and groups. So naturally, she and Harry had become school friends, though she never did get to see him outside of school much. He lived with a very prude family. She had, on many occasions, listened to the stories of his home life and about not knowing his parents.

That was another thing they talked about a lot. Both Harry and April never knew their parents. April didn't do as much talking as he had; she knew that he needed someone to talk to, and she was the only one willing to listen. But two years after meeting him, her family decided to move to a different community. At the time she did not understand why. But after a few years she understood. Her foster parents had given her a letter when she turned ten. When they had adopted her they were given two letters, one to pass onto April, and the other to explain the world she had come from. She didn't know what anything in the letter meant until she was almost eleven.

Her foster parents wanted her to know children like herself. They were not from the same world as she was, but they understood that she needed friends from her world, therefore they moved closer to a small Wizarding community.

Draco had been walking to a shop near her house when she met him. He didn't know many children his age. His parents had been picky about the kinds of children he befriended. But they didn't know he was meeting with her at this shop every week.

After they began to trust each other he began explaining the world he came from, the Wizarding world. She showed him the letter she had been given, explaining that she belonged to a world where she might be judged. And that she was, as the letter said, half-blood. After he read the letter he brought her to meet his family.

Other than being her being half-blood, his parents seemed to accept her, though they never truly trusted her. She began going to his house many times a week.

He taught her all about this world she now belonged to. They sent her home with books that she read eagerly. She particularly enjoyed books pertaining to potions. She studied these books. Draco's family was impressed at how much she had learned in such a short amount of time.

It was the middle of July when she received a letter from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. After reading the letter twice she ran as fast as she could to Draco's large manor. She had been so excited. Draco had told her that it would be coming. His family took her to get her supplies from Diagon Alley. And every year since, she has gone with the Malfoy family to get her school supplies.

She didn't know Harry had gotten a letter until she saw him on the train ride to school.

Once at school she was sorted, to Draco's annoyance, Gryffindor. He had been sorted into Slytherin, like he knew he would. He didn't like the idea of being friends with a Gryffindor, but they were already friends, and separate houses could not diminish their friendship.

From that moment she was sorted into Gryffindor with Harry, her life at school had been both the best and the worst. She didn't realize at first how difficult it would be, but as the years passed she realized that her two best friends, Draco and Harry, had no intention of becoming friends with each other. They hated each other, and April was always in the middle.

Her friendship with both boys had caused a lot of tension between everyone. Draco had seemed to pull away from her slightly, though they still talked as often as they could. Harry had taken the time she didn't spend with Draco to strengthen his relationship with her. Each year she went to school she became closer to both boys, although neither ever completely confided information in her.

"April!" this brought her away from her thoughts, "will we see you on the train?"

"I don't know," she told him.

"Why did you stay behind?"

"I had to find out why he was down there," she told him, "don't ask Harry, he didn't tell me anything. Just that he needed something. He didn't tell me what it was, or what it was for."

Harry looked away, "we have to go, lots of packing to do."

"See you."

She headed off to the Leaky Cauldron to Floo to the small Wizarding shop a few blocks from her house. In a few days time she would be on the train to Hogwarts to start another year, and she could tell already that this would be her most stressful year thus far.


	2. Chapter 2

**centerb-CHAPTER TWO-**

_**iBack to Hogwarts/i/b/center**_

Harry and Hermione returned to the Burrow for the last few days of the summer. April spent most of the days out on the back lawn reading her new school books. She had already crossed out things in her i_Advanced Potion-Making/i_ and written in her own corrections. She only received one letter, the day before she left for school.

i_Dear April,_

_I hope you don't stay mad at me about what I did in Knockturn Alley. Don't hold it against me. I do trust you, believe me, I do. I'm just not used to having someone to trust. _

_I will be in the front train, the usual compartment, if you still want to join me on the trip to Hogwarts._

_Sincerely,_

_Draco A. Malfoy/i_

She had it tucked tightly in her pocket. Reading every few hours, wondering whether she should join him on the train or not. She still didn't know what to make of what happened in the alley. She felt bad about accusing him of joining the Death Eaters. i_But he never told me he wasn't,/i_ she thought, a few times she would say it out loud without realizing.

"April, darling," this was her father, although she hasn't called him that in five years, since she found out she was adopted, "time for supper."

She closed her book and stood up. The sun was setting quickly in the distance. She loved this time of the day, it reminded her so much of that day she met Draco. She entered the kitchen and found the table set for four.

"Is someone joining us?" she asked as she placed her book on the counter.

"I hope you don't mind," her mother said, "your friend sent us a letter yesterday. I must say, I'm still not used to the owls. But we invited him for dinner."

There was a knock at the front door, "I'll get it," April said as she quickly left the room.

She pulled the front door open slowly. She looked up at the boy's face. His face was much softer than it was when she saw him last.

"April, I'm-"

"I don't want to hear it, Draco," she pulled the door open farther to let him enter, "come in."

He stepped inside the small house, much smaller than what he is used to. He was not used to a Muggle house, none of the pictures were moving. He stared at one for a long while.

"That's me when I was five," April said as she stood next to him, "it's a bicycle."

"A what?"

She laughed, "a bicycle, it is kind of like a broom, only you stay on the ground."

That was the only way she could think of explaining it. She smiled, laughing again when she realized he didn't understand.

"Supper!" my mother said from the kitchen.

"Come on," April said, "or she will start complaining about the food getting cold."

He followed her into the kitchen. She pointed to the chair for him to sit. April's mother came and filled their plates with chicken legs and potatoes.

"Thank you Mrs. Jamison," Draco said after his plate had been filled.

"Thank you for joining us," she said as she sat down.

"Looking forward to the new term?" April's father asked Draco, "We know April is, she hasn't put that book down since she bought it."

"I am looking forward to this year," he said looking sideways at April, "did you finish the book?"

"Yes," she told him, "twice."

"That is all she has done," Mrs. Jamison told him, "she got back from shopping, and hasn't put that book down, except to eat."

April suddenly became interested in pushing her potatoes around her plate. She was sure she knew what he was thinking but she didn't want to tell him she knew. She had been thinking about that day in the alley every day.

"Really?" he looked at April.

The rest of the meal was eaten in silence. April busied herself with clearing the dishes after everyone had finished.

"We will get this, darling," her father said taking the plates from her, "go talk to your friend."

Draco had walked to the door leading to the backyard. He looked out at the plants. He was obviously trying to figure out why they didn't move, or attack anything that came near them.

"Let's go outside," April said grabbing her book off the counter and leading him though the door.

The air was warm. A light breeze carried the smell of roses to their noses. She spun in a circle, her skirt getting caught in the wind blowing around her knees. The sun was now completely hidden behind the mountains in the distance giving the sky a slight red glow. She smiled as she took in the sight of the warm colored sky and dark mountains.

"How do you live here?" he asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Everything is so," he looked around, "boring."

"It's not boring," she looked up at him, "Look at how the wind makes the trees move. This isn't boring, it's natural."

"This is not natural," he told her.

"Well, maybe not for you," she pulled her book closer to her chest, "but it is for me."

"You are a very strange girl," he looked at her for the first time since coming outside, "you know that right?"

"Well, to be fair, you are strange to me."

"Are you calling me strange?"

"Yes I am," she smiled again.

"How am I the strange one?"

"Do you do anything without magic?"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"I don't use magic for everything," she told him, "it feels good to do things without it. You can actually appreciate everything you do."

"You say that, but how does that make me strange?"

"Fine," she said her hands falling to her sides, "I don't care if you think I am strange. It just makes me who I am."

A slight smile spread across his sharp face.

"What?" she asked as her smile faded.

"Nothing," his eyes drift to the ground.

It was a long time before either said anything. She was confused, and she didn't like it. Her thoughts drifted away,_ iI wonder what he was thinking,/i_ she thought, i_I can never tell what he is thinking. Maybe that is how he wants it./i_ She took a deep breath, still looking away from the boy in front of her.

"Are you ok?" he asked.

This broke her train of thought, catching her off guard, "What?"

"Are you ok?" he said it much slower this time.

"Why?"

"You just seem kind of sad."

"Sorry," she told him, "so have you read any of your books yet?"

"Why would I do that?"

"Never mind," she turned her back to him, taking in the sweet rose smell.

"I'm sorry I haven't trusted you lately," he said suddenly.

She turned back to him and her book dropped to the ground. She left it where it landed and went to sit on the garden bench. After a few moments of silence he sat next to her.

"Is it true?" she asked, staring blankly at the bushes across the lawn.

"That I trust you," he sat next to her, "of course I do."

"No," she turned toward him, her hands gripping the bench on either side of her, she wasn't angry, she just needed to stop her hands from shaking uncontrollably, "what you wrote in the letter."

She pulled the parchment out of her pocket and handed it to him.

"Do you really have no one to trust?"

"Only you," he opened the letter and read through it slowly, "I sound really pathetic in this letter."

"Draco," she said but he held a hand up to stop her.

"I should be going," he stood up, "will I see you on the train?"

"Of course."

He took a few steps when his foot hit her book. He picked it up off the ground, handing it to her before leaving her alone on the bench.

She sat alone for a long while, her fingers softly tracing the edge of her book. As the sun fell behind the treetops in front of her the sun's light was lost.

She continued to sit, softly touching her book in the complete darkness. It was only when the air started getting much colder that she decided to stand up and walk to the back door of her house. She stepped into the kitchen where her parents were just finishing the last of the dishes.

"Did he leave?" her mother said looking over her shoulder, "I was hoping to send him home with some leftover pie."

"I'm going to go to bed," I walked toward the stairs, "we have to get up early so I make it to the train on time."

The train left right at eleven as usual, thick dark clouds hanging low in the sky. April and Draco sat in the compartment with Blaise Zabini, his only friend other than April. None of them said anything most of the trip. The sky outside grew darker and darker the closer they got to Hogwarts. And as the train moved down the tracks April read her potions book, holding it only a few inches from her face.

She looked up at Draco. He has his face turned to the window with a look of deep thought on his face.

He had changed since she saw him the previous day. He seemed much more uneasy, like he had something on his mind that he wish he could stop thinking about. She looked at Blaise sitting next to her. He had a copy of the i_Daily Prophet/i_ open across his lap. The caption across the page caught her attention, but she quickly lost interest as the whole compartment filled with black smoke.

"What is this?" Draco said loudly.

"Calm down, Draco. It's just black smoke from Fred and George's shop," April said, Draco was standing full alert, "you should sit down. We'll be at Hogwarts soon."

He sat down, and April closed the compartment door.

"Hogwarts," he said, "If I had to continue for another two years, I would surely kill myself."

"What do you mean?" April didn't know what he was talking about, but knew something was bothering him.

She watched him closely as his eyes glanced toward the luggage rack above her before looking back at his two friends.

"I don't think I will be wasting my time in these juvenile classes next year," Blaise let out a soft laugh, "Amused, let's see what you think later."

What was left of the train ride was silent, and when the train finally did pull into the station, Draco insisted on waiting behind while Blaise and April stepped out onto the platform. April caught up with Ron and Hermione just as rain started to fall. She pulled the scarf she was wearing tighter around her neck.

"What are you wearing that for?" Ron pointed at the scarf around her neck.

"I was cold on the train," she told him, "Draco gave it to me to stay warm."

She pulled the green scarf a little tighter as they climbed into a carriage.

"Have you seen Harry?" Hermione asked.

"No, I thought he was with you?"

The carriage lunged forward as they began the short ride to the castle, the gravel crunching loudly under the tires. Ron, Hermione and April stayed quiet the whole way to the castle, but Ron threw her angry looks every few minutes. He had never gotten over the fact that she was friends with both Harry and Draco. But he knew that there was nothing he could do to change it. So he would sit in silence looking nervously at her. She got used to him doing this, and she knew he wouldn't do anything to her because he didn't want his best friend to be angry at him.

April held her potions book close to her chest as she looked out the window of the carriage. Hermione sat with her nose in her Arithmancy book. Ron had decided to sit with his head against the door and his hands shoved deeply in his pockets. The carriage stopped very suddenly and Ron jerked opened the door. The group stepped out into the rain, pulling their jackets and scarves tighter around them.


	3. Chapter 3

7

Misfortunate Malfoy

**CHAPTER THREE-**

_**Misfortunate Malfoy**_

The feast began and Harry was still nowhere to be seen. Hermione was thoroughly angry when no one seemed to be upset about Harry's disappearance.

"Stop worrying," Ron told her through a mouth full of food, "I'm sure he will be here soon."

Hermione took in a sharp breath turning her head toward the door as April brushed the bits of food from her robes. She was sitting between Ron and Hermione. She knew Hermione was upset about Harry's disappearance, and Ron's lack of caring for something other than food, made Hermione's temper rise even higher. April, having lost her appetite when Ron was talking, pushed her plate toward the center of the table.

Hermione let out her breath quickly before bringing her book around to his April's arm. April's attention was then taken away from Ron's full mouth to see Harry walking into the Great Hall, blood spattered down the front of his robes, and on his face.

"Where were you?" Hermione asked as soon as he reached them.

"I'll explain later."

"Welcome all," Dumbledore said as he clapped his hands together, "to returning students, welcome back, and to all new students, welcome to Hogwarts.

"I am glad to say that another year of magical learning awaits you," he opened his arms, "Mr. Filch has asked me to tell you all that any joke items bought from Weasley's Wizard Wheezes are prohibited at Hogwarts."

Many of the students stood up and yelled in protest. April glanced around the hall at all of the students; many held their fists in the air. Her eyes finally came to rest on the boy across the hall, he sat quietly with his weight on his arms crossed and resting on the table. Dumbledore patiently waited for most of the students to sit down before he decided to continue his speech.

"This year we must exercise caution," he said once everyone fell silent, "more so than any other year. There was once a boy who walked through these halls, just like many of you, and he is just a reminder that even though we exercise extreme caution in these times, the greatest weapon could be you," the boy's eyes flickered to Dumbledore standing at the front of the hall, "Now off to bed."

He said this last part cheerfully, and as soon as the words left his mouth the sound of benches being pushed away from the tables filled the hall.

"Are you coming?" Harry asked as he stood up to leave.

"I'll meet you in the common room," April told him, her eyes not moving from the boy looking at Dumbledore.

The Great hall was almost empty before she decided to stand up. She walked quickly to the boy she had been watching.

"Draco," she said timidly, "are you ok?"

"I'm fine," he stood up from the table quickly causing the bench to topple over behind him.

He hastily walked past her and into the Entrance Hall. She followed him as fast as she could but by the time she exited the Great Hall he had disappeared. She stood in the Entrance Hall for a while before walking up the stairs toward the Gryffindor common room.

McGonagall handed everyone their timetables as they entered the Great Hall this morning. April looked down hers before letting out a sigh of relief. She had been in Divination for a few years and she was glad to see that she was no longer in it. She compared her timetable with Harry, Ron and Hermione's and noticed that she had a few classes without them. While she had Herbology, Harry, Ron and Hermione had Care for Magical Creatures. This was the same for a few other of her classes.

"Potions, Charms, and Defense Against the Dark Arts with the Slytherins?" Ron exclaimed once he finished looking over his timetable, "this year is going to be tough. I could barely stand them last year in Potions."

"Oh Ron," April said as her friends took a seat at the table, "do get over it."

"Easy for you to say," and with that he turned his back to her and loaded his plate with buttered breads, eggs, and sausage.

Harry stood back up and pulled April a little down the aisle away from Ron and Hermione.

"Don't worry about Ron," he told her, "he is just a little bitter that you don't tell us everything. He thinks you tell Malfoy everything we say."

"I'll see you in Defense Against the Dark Arts," April left Harry standing in the aisle between the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw tables. She sat down quickly next to Draco at the Slytherin table and filled a plate with eggs and buttered bread. Draco said nothing to her while they ate.

She would often sit with him at the Slytherin table for lunch and breakfast. Many of the Slytherins got used to this. A few still hated the idea of her, but many got along with her, that was mainly because she was such close friends with the Malfoys.

"What classes do you have?" she asked Draco after she finished the eggs on her plate.

He handed her his timetable to look at. She had a lot of classes with him. The only class she had without him was Transfiguration.

"I didn't know you were going to take Ancient Runes this year," she said placing his timetable on the table next to him.

"My Mum is making me," he said shortly.

His eyes were scanning the _Daily Prophet_ he had open in front of him. Once he seemed satisfied that there was nothing on a page he would turn to the next. But he stopped scanning the paper and picked it up when he reached a page toward the back. He held the paper close to his face reading it quickly. After he finished reading he handed the paper to April.

**Misfortunate Malfoy**

_Last month Death Eater Lucius Malfoy was captured and sent to Azkaban. Last night he attempted to break out using a series of nonverbal, wandless magic. After a short chase to the front gates of Azkaban, Dementors caught him and he was placed back in his cell with extra security measures set in place. A few hours after being returned to his cell, he was visited by Rufus Scrimgeour, Minister for Magic, who said, "Mr. Malfoy is a great threat to everyone, he needs the most security we have ever put in place. Even more so than Bellatrix Lestrange who escaped last year."_

_"As to that, I feel deeply for him," Scrimgeour said when asked about Lucius' son, Draco Malfoy, currently starting his sixth year at Hogwarts, "this is a tragic time for a father to be missing from his life, and he will need the most care while at school this year."_

_This is a difficult and stressing time for Wizarding world for young Draco Malfoy, as it is for many children in our world. As for young Draco's mother, Narcissa Malfoy, she must be having a very difficult time. Early this morning many reporters were seen outside her home in Wiltshire, where Lucius' wife refused to talk to most reporters; however, she let me inside to ask a few questions._

_And despite what many say of the Malfoy family, she was very Hospitable. She offered me freshly brewed tea, and fresh crumpets while we talked about what has been happening in her life._

_"I visit him as much as I can," she told me when we talked about her husband's imprisonment, "I don't feel that he should have been placed in Azkaban, but he is strong."_

_She asked that we changed the subject, I can imagine that this is hard on her, and when asked about her son's education she told me that "I had him take as many classes as he could. I want him to be successful in life, and an education is the first step."_

_She went on to say that Draco has the potential of even being high up in the Ministry if he wanted to. He just needed to pass all of his classes with high grades. "He is much like his father," she explained when I asked her about Draco's future, "they are both motivated. And I feel that with help Draco in this time up hardship."_

_"I do feel alone in this house," she went on to say when asked how she felt with them away for so long, "I miss them deeply, but I feel that Draco's place is at Hogwarts right now. Staying at this house right now would just depress him too much," she went on to say that although she is sad that Lucius is in Azkaban, she feels that it will not impact Draco's life too significantly considering the timing of everything._

_After she showed me to the door and we said our goodbyes, I left while many reporters were still outside trying to force their way into her beautiful home._

_And in the midst of all that is happening with her family, she is handling everything very well with her son and husband._

April placed the paper on the table and looked at Draco. She didn't quite know what she should say to him. She sat in silence as she watched him eat some potatoes. After a long while he looked at her.

"Why is she treating me like I am a baby?"

"She is just worried about you."

He stood up quickly and started to make his way down the hall. She picked up the paper on the table before chasing after him, many students in the hall watched as they left. She finally caught up to him as he was stepping out onto the moist grass outside.

"Draco!" she yelled, "slow down."

"Why?" he yelled as he turned to face her, "so I can listen to whatever they have to say about my family?" he pointed at the paper in her hand, "I don't understand why they have to write things like that."

"Draco, it is their job," she told him, "and who cares what they write about you? Most of what is in here is false anyway!"

"No one in that hall is going to care what we think," he looked away from her before he continued, "my mother doesn't deserve all of this, she is better than that. They made her look like she can't handle herself. And they made me look like I need to have constant attention and protection!"

"Draco," she pulls him around to look at her, "who says that people are going to believe what is written in the paper?"

"Look," he said a little calmer, "just stay away from me until this all straightens out. You deserve to be treated better than those people are going to."

She looked away from him. The bell sounded from the castle, class would be starting soon. She stepped passed Draco as she made her way to the greenhouses.

"I'll be fine," she said over her shoulder, "nothing they say about can hurt me."

She was a few yards away before she heard his footsteps on the ground behind her. They said nothing while they walked to class. She pulled her hair back into a plait that hung down her back. When they reached the greenhouses Professor Sprout gave them a short explanation on how to trim Venomous Tentacula before letting the students begin their task in groups of two.

April began the task and realized right away that is was not nearly as easy as it sounded. The dark red vines moved through the air very quickly, and even with dragon-hide gloves on she could still feel the slight sting of the sharp spikes digging into her hands. Most of the students managed to trim one or two vines, while Draco just watched as April trimmed almost all of her plant's vines. When class was almost over, Professor Sprout made her way to April and Draco's plant, and Draco attempted to trim the last few.

The bell sounded quietly in the distance and Professor Sprout reminded all the students that their homework was to write an essay on the Venomous Tentacula By the next class. April exited the greenhouse after most of the student had already left. She had gotten in the habit of waiting before she left.

She only just got out of the greenhouse when she heard someone yell her name. She turned to see Draco leaning against the castle wall a little ways away from her. She almost thought about ignoring him, but she decided to wait and see what he had to say.

"How are you so good at everything you do," he said as she walked toward him, "but you can't fly a broom to save your life?"

"Oh, shut up," she said before walking away from him, "you can be such a git sometimes."

She left him standing there while she left to get some lunch in the Great Hall with Harry, Ron, and Hermione.


End file.
